Diane Lora Hansen Damer

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 22, 1957 to Merrill and Hazel Hansen, Diane passed away on August 15, 2025 from pancreatic cancer. She was the fourth of four children. Diane grew up loving all animals and especially horses. She spent much of her early years learning to care for and ride them as the family quintessential “horse girl”.

Diane moved with her mom and siblings to Bountiful Utah after her parents divorced and her mother remarried Carol Dalton. She attended Viewmont High and was on the drill team while earning high grades until graduating in 1975.

Continuing her learning track, Diane attended Utah State University in Logan for two years before returning to Salt Lake City where she began her career in business management working in multiple disciplines at Utah Agency, GE Capital, and even teaching aerobics. In the 80’s, before the internet age, Diane would request aerobic music routines in the mail and after perfecting them she would teach her students with a motivating smile and tons of enthusiasm. She returned to school earning her bachelor’s degree from Westminster College and then an MBA at the University of Utah.

Diane loved to learn new things and always mastered every interest. She was not afraid of hard work, never backed down from a challenge, developed her plan, and always figured it out. For example, one summer she decided to learn sail boarding and by fall she had mastered it! Diane approached all her endeavors in this way—throwing her mind and energy into things fully. She loved life and was always willing and ready to experience everything it offered, especially skiing, hiking, dancing, and anything outdoors.

An eternal intellect, Diane tackled and finished numerous books such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina, pulling these novels off her book shelf regularly to read parts of them again when she was unable to sleep.

Diane was kind and compassionate with people and animals. She collected her four legged friends throughout her life including many dogs, cats, horses and even a one-legged parakeet named “Sigh” and an iguana named Iggy.

Diane moved to AZ while working for Chase Bank and there she met her husband, Jeff Damer. They married and acquired horse property just outside of Phoenix and she was able to return to her love of training and riding horses. Diane had a deep desire to have children and be a mom. She gave birth to their son Jesse in 1999 and adopted their daughter Emma in 2005.

Jeff and Diane decided to move to Adam’s, Tennessee, where Jeff’s family owned and operated a family farm where she began working for Nissan Motors and helped Jeff run the farm. They raised their family there until 2012, when Jeff passed away of kidney cancer. Diane, Jesse and Emma then moved to Cedar Hills, TN where she continued to raise the kids. She was very eager to expose them to the arts, taking them to many plays and musicals in Nashville, TN. This was one of the things she talked about enjoying so much with them, in addition to traveling. The family would return to Utah for Ski trips, go hiking, and they took many cruises to see different parts of the world. It was important for her to spend time and have fun with them.

Utilizing her project management acumen to lead many teams and helping others work together they accomplished many objectives. Whether at work or in her personal life, she lifted people up. She was a strong and motivating leader and was passionate about her projects. Diane retired from Nissan in May 2025.

Diane loved living and wholeheartedly embraced life undergoing 14 months of treatment for pancreatic cancer. It was her desire to continue her life and she fought hard—in Diane fashion. She was one to never give up. She was an intelligent, independent and talented person. She was compassionate, gentle and also strong. She had a heart full of love for people and animals and poured her love into everything she touched. After a valiant struggle, Diane passed on August 15, 2025 at home with two beloved people in her life.

Diane is survived by her children, Jesse and Emma, and her brother Darrell. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jeff, father Merrill, mother Hazel, brother David, sister Denise and many nieces, nephews and Dalton family members.

Services will be held Saturday September 6, 2025 at Lakeview Memorial Estates. Please join us for a viewing from 11:00 – 12:00 followed by graveside services from 12:30 – 1:30 at the same location.